If you break open a chicken bone, you won’t find a solid mass of white material inside. Instead, you will see a complex, spongelike network of tiny struts and pillars, and a lot of empty space. It looks fragile, yet that internal structure allows a bird’s wing to withstand high winds while remaining light enough … Read more
The ancient Arabian city of AlUla had been uninhabited since the 1980s, abandoned when a new town center was established nearby. Here, hundreds of mud-brick houses, huddled around a tenth-century fortress. The old town is now being restored as a cultural district. A void, formed from the remnants of two former houses, was known locally … Read more
I recently got this email: Hello, My name is Kent Robertson, and I’m reaching out to express interest in potential apprenticeship or work opportunities with your operation. I’m drawn to earthen construction and land-based work because I value building skills that are practical, durable, and rooted in stewardship of the land. I’m especially interested in … Read more
Microalgae‑based architecture is gaining attention as a sustainable design solution for a variety of uses, and the concept could soon become a reality in Western Australia. Amin Mirabbasi, a PhD student at Murdoch University’s Algae Innovation Hub in Australia, has spent three years designing microalgae filled photobioreactors, which can be incorporated into a variety of … Read more
The archeological site of Mezhyrich, located in central Ukraine, is home to four remarkable mammoth bone structures. Ranging from 12 to 24 m2 (130 to 260 sf), they were intricately constructed using hundreds of mammoth bones and tusks. An analysis of small mammal remains recovered directly from the archaeological layers indicates that at least one … Read more
Cob building is a method in which clay, sand, and plant fibers (usually straw) are mixed manually and molded directly in place. Unlike bricks, blocks, or concrete walls, cob doesn’t use forms, doesn’t require molding and allows for the creation of curved walls, niches, arches, built-in benches, round windows, and sculpted details. There are cob … Read more